Policy tsars: here to stay but more transparency needed

Government ministers have appointed over 260 policy tsars since May 1997. Tsars are privileged players in the policy drama, handpicked by ministers and given direct access to them and senior officials. Although policy tsars lack imperial force, they can be hugely powerful advisors. Potentially each tsar has the power to influence ministers and policies directly and personally, and many of them have used this power strongly. Until Dr Ruth Levitt and William Solesbury did detailed empirical research on tsars, no-one seemed to know the scale or scope of these appointments nor what difference they have made.